2 September 2009

Boutique de Noel: Shopping for a Good Cause!

The Junior League of London presents the 30th Anniversary of its
two day Christmas Fair

London, August 2009 — On November 12th and 13th 2009, the Junior League of London (“JLL”) will host its 30th Annual Boutique de Noel (“BdN”) celebration, one of London’s premier Christmas shopping fairs, at the Kensington Town Hall. BdN is the JLL’s most important and successful annual fundraiser, raising over £100,000 annually to further the charity’s work to eliminate poverty and its effects in London.

As an active and distinguished women’s charity with more than 400 community volunteers, we are dedicated to eradicating poverty in the London area. Our fundraising goal for 2009 is £105,000 and a portion of every £ spent at this event will support the League’s community initiatives.

On the evening of 12 November and all day 13 November, shoppers can browse and buy from over 120 exhibitors offering jewellery, children’s clothing and gifts, home décor, stationery, men’s accessories, women’s fashions, artwork and much more. New this year, we will be offering a Christmas Concierge that will include exhibitors able to provide everything for your holiday feast, including a butcher, gift wrapping, holiday decorations, fine wines, seasonal delicacies and the Christmas pudding.

The Thursday evening Premier Shopping Evening is a festive occasion and a valuable opportunity to shop for gifts offered by our select exhibitors. Guests will be served canapés by our friendly roving wait staff, and champagne and wine will flow freely as the crowd circulates, serenaded by Christmas carolers. Models will be exhibiting both the latest fashion designs and enduring classic clothing. The Patron Room is sponsored by American Airlines and will include a private wine tasting hosted by Charles Mitchell Wines.

In addition to a fashion show, guests may also participate in a Live Auction, a Silent Auction, and a Raffle to win fantastic prizes, as well as lots of other fun activities. We have hundreds of donated items, with an amazing variety that will appeal to everyone.  Up for grabs are two American Airlines business class tickets to the US, a private box at Ascot, a chateau in France, fine art, training and instruction from world class athletes and other professionals, gourmet dinners in fine restaurants or catered at home, wine tastings, luxury goods from Thomas Pink, and many holiday retreats.

On Friday, the programme is expanded this year to include a full day and evening of activities, in addition to shopping.  Bring your children for a photo with Father Christmas (reservations required).  Our speaker series will include a demonstration of holiday flower arrangements by Paula Pryke. Karen Doherty & Georgia Coleridge, authors of the book “Seven Secrets of Successful Parenting,” will speak on caring for your children and keeping the focus on friends and family to avoid a stressful Christmas season. We will finish the day with a wine tasting hosted by Drinks of France.

Also new this year is our extended shopping hours on Friday evening for ‘Jingle Bells Happy Hour.’  Our guests can shop from 5pm until 8pm, while enjoying canapés and wines served by Charles Mitchell Wines.  .

Tickets, which directly benefit the JLL and its community programmes, are available at:  www.jll.org.uk/bdn or contact our office at 020 7499 8159, or please email us at jrleague@jll.org.uk.  Tickets for the evening of 12 November are £35 (or 2 for £60 if purchased before 15 October 2009), Patron Rooms tickets are £100, and Benefactor tickets are £250; all tickets for Thursday evening include access to the Shopping Day & Jingle Bells happy Hour on Friday.  Tickets for 13 November only are £7.

For more information on BdN or the JLL’s programmes and services, please contact 020 7499 8159 or visit  www.jll.org.uk.
About the Junior League of London

The Junior League of London is a UK registered charity comprised of women committed to promoting voluntary service, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. A member of the Association of Junior Leagues International and active in London since 1978, the JLL has over 400 volunteer members who provide more than 20,000 hours of service to the community each year through dedicated programmes that break the cycle of poverty through education and employment. The JLL raises funds through our annual Christmas fair Boutique de Noel (12-13 November 2009), a book for recent arrivals to the capital called Living in London, a week-long shopping event in the Spring (4-28 March 2010) called London Spree, corporate giving, grants, donations, annual fund and members’ dues.
To learn more about the Junior League and its community projects, to buy tickets to Boutique de Noel in 2009 or a 2010 London Spree Card, to purchase a copy of Living in London, or to find out about the JLL’s next New Members’ Course for volunteers – visit www.jll.org.uk or phone the Junior League office on 020 7499 8159.

Registered Charity Number: 1103298   Registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee in England No 5045667